ORGANIZATION OF THE VISUAL PROJECTION UPON THE OPTIC TECTUM OF SOME FRESHWATER FISH

Independent biaxial reorganization of the retinotectal projection: a reassessment

It has been previously suggested that the retinotectal projection can reorganize independently along two orthogonal tectal axes. This possibility was reexamined by removing roughly a quarter of the retina and slightly less than a quarter of the tectum. In the tectal case, the unseated fibers arborized rostral to the ablation, but not lateral to it, and the projection shifted irrespective of tectal axes to maintain topographic order and a roughly uniform representation of retinal areas. In the retinal case, expansion into the denervated quadrant was only from the rostral, never from the medial or lateral directions. Analysis of the movements of fiber arbors shows that they respond to local competition for tectal space rather than following tectal axes.

Expansion of the half retinal projection to the tectum in goldfish: an electrophysiological and anatomical study

The topographical retino-tectal projection of goldfish was electrophysiologically mapped at various intervals after surgical removal of the nasal half of the retina and pigment epithelium. The remaining projection was initially restricted to the appropriate rostral half of the tectum, even if the nerve was crushed and allowed to regenerate. But later, after 137 days or more, it showed a progressive expansion onto the foreign caudal half of the tectum. The magnification factor, the number of micrometers of tectum per degree in the visual field, doubled in the rostro-caudal but not in the medio-lateral direction. Analysis of the sequence of the expansion showed that a few fibers originally projecting nearest the denervated area were the first to spread over it. Then, progressively more fibers moved caudally until a nearly uniform representation of the half retina was established on the tectum. Radioautography also demonstrated that retinal fiber terminals had invaded the caudal tectum. The retinae of these fish were also examined histologically. The density of ganglion cells had not increased, but they consistently showed the axonal reaction. This was not found to be associated with any initial surgical trauma, but rather with the movement of their fiber terminals within the tectum. Frozen sections through half retinal and normal eyes, were cut and photographed for comparison of ocular geometry. Operated eyes were normal except for a slight but consistent loss of ocular volume. Analysis of the optical geometry showed that recording with fish in air produced two effects: Myopia (10 degrees blur circle, or less) and enlargement of the visual field by 15 percent to 20 percent.

Visual function in goldfish with unilateral and bilateral tectal ablation

Following complete bilateral tectal ablation, the ability to detect light recovers in about three weeks. The non-tectal retinal connections which may mediate detection are about one log unit less sensitive than the retinotectal connections. At moderate illumination levels, tectumless fish do not react visually to objects. Tectumless fish integrate luminous flux over a very wide area (at least 25 degrees diameter) while the critical diameter for the normal in this experiment is smaller. Subcortical structures may mediate the interocular transfer of a brightness discrimination. The ipsilateral retinotectal projection following unilateral tectal removal is functional, with normal sensitivity to detection of light.

Electrophysiology of neural units in goldfish optic tectum

Axons of retinal ganglion cells showed responses not previously emphasized: (a) many tonic units discharged oscillations, 2--12 spikes per burst, interburst intervals 20--300 msec; (b) phasic units showed concentric or flanking ON and OFF fields, response frequency depended on balance of retinal excitation and inhibition; (c) directional sensitivity was maximal for retinal stimuli moving in naso-temporal direction; (d) in anterior tectum deep afferent layer (DAL) provides for deep electrical sink, fibers of DAL have small fields, mostly in front of fish; (e) color-opponent units are prevalent in the superficial terminal layers, color is spatially and temporally represented. Tectal cell responses were distinguished by large visual fields, spontaneity, multiple spikes and long latencies to optic nerve stimulation, failure to follow above 60 per sec, plasticity of response. Tectal neurons of three classes included (a) cells of one type in upper layers were inhibited in ongoing activity by visual input, receptive fields exceeded 100 degrees, were often oblong, responses did not habituate; (b) cells of second type were excited by visual stimuli, became unresponsive (habituated) or responsive only to stimuli in different position or direction (newness cells); lability precluded field mapping and dishabituation was produced by change in background, extraneous stimulation, and spontaneous firing; (c) pyriform cells in periventricular layer were abundant, difficult to isolate electrically, discharged spontaneously in bursts at intervals of several seconds and responded to visual input by interruption of firing. Some tectal cells responded to non-visual stimuli as well.

Effects of post-operative visual environments on reorganization of retinotectal projection in goldfish

1. Possible influence of different visual environments on the reorganization of retinotectal projection was studied with neurophysiological mapping methods following excision of the caudal half of the optic tectum in adult goldfish. 2. Post-operative light-deprivation showed no significant effects: in the absence of visual input, the visual projection from the whole retina because compressed on to the remaining rostral half-tectum in correct retinotopic order within 4 months, regardless of whether the contralateral optic nerve was left intact, or severed and then allowed to regenerate. 3. When the operated goldfish were continually exposed to visual stimuli without any dark period (post-operative dark-deprivation), two different results were observed: if the optic nerve was sectioned, in addition to excision of the caudal tectum, an orderly field compression was observed within 70 days in the re-established retinotectal projection; on the other hand, if the optic nerve was left intact, the dark-deprived fish retained the original connexions between the remaining rostral half-tectum and the temporal hemiretina without showing any sign of field compression for up to 253 days. 4. When the dark-deprived fish was then transferred into darkness, the suppressive effect disappeared: a compression of the retinotectal projection was induced within 2 or 3 weeks after the transfer. 5. Histological preparations of the fish brains showed consistent morphologic changes in the laminar structure of the remaining half-tectum. The stratum opticum and the stratum fibrosum et griseum superficiale merged together to form a new layer which contained an intricate network of thick fibre bundles.

Spectral properties of dark-adapted retinal ganglion cells in the plaice (Pleuronectes platessa, L.)

1. Spectral, spatial and temporal properties of receptive fields of dark-adapted, on-off retinal ganglion cells in the intact eye of the plaice, were analysed by recording from their axon terminals in the superficial layers of the optic tectum with indium micro-electrodes.2. Two cell-types were identified. The first gave fast-adapting, spectrally opponent on-off responses without centre-surround subdivisions of the receptive field. On and off response-components were mutually antagonistic. The second type gave slow-adapting on-off or off responses for different stimulus positions within the receptive field, with centre-surround or adjacent field configurations. Only on-off centre cells, showing mutual antagonism between field centre and surround, or off centre cells with inhibitory centres, were found. These cells had weak opponent or non-opponent properties.3. Most cells of each type received inputs both from cones and rods. At stimulus intensities suprathreshold for cones, response-components gave spectral peaks which have been classified into one of four wave-length ranges; blue, 440-460 nm; blue-green, 470-490 nm; green, 510-540 nm; and orange, 560-590 nm. No cells analysed gave sensitivity maxima in the red. At low stimulus intensities all cells with rod input gave a single spectral peak between 510 and 530 nm.

Unit Responses from Commissural Fibers of Optic Lobes of Fish

The paired optic lobes of teleost fish are connected by two commissures. One of these, the tectal commissure, was studied with metal microelectrodes. Fibers are rhythmically active for prolonged periods in the dark and respond to light by a decrease in the rate of discharge. There is a rebound acceleration when the light is turned of. Each fiber is influenced by light in one eye only, and there is no response when light is projected into the opposite eye. This behavior resembles the "off" response recorded from the optic lobes and the optic nerve of fish. Unlike most units from the visual pathways of lower animals, single commissural fibers do not seem to give any recognizable response to patterned input such as small light or dark objects or small light sources stationary or moving anywhere in the visual field, nor do they respond to a vertical black bar moved over a white background.